Ask a doctor - Why does hematemesis occur during portal hypertension?

Q. Why does hematemesis occur during portal hypertension?

Doctor Answer is medically reviewed by SecondMedic medical review team.

Answered by Seconmedic Expert

Hematemesis is the vomiting of blood and is one of the most common symptoms that a person experiences with portal hypertension. Portal hypertension is an increase in pressure within the portal venous system, which is part of your liver’s circulation.

In portal hypertension, this increased pressure can cause a buildup of fluid in vessels located around the stomach, esophagus and intestines. This increases waster accumulation inside these organs resulting in inflammation and tissue damage. The long-term consequences include enlargement as well as engorgement (pooling) of blood vessels present in these organs leading to bleeding - hematemesis being one such manifestation.

The development of hemorrhoids and varices are also commonly noticed along with hematemesis due to portal hypertension as they are caused by vascular congestion secondary to increased intrahepatic pressures leading to rupture or bleeding from those sites respectively. Endoscopic therapy may be required for several weeks if patients experience recurrent episodes so that mucosal lesions on mucosa walls can be cauterized (destroyed) using coagulation techniques like band ligation or sclerotherapy hence preventing further recurrence of bleeding episodes from those sites which reduces hematemesis incidences as well.

Portal hypertension causes severe complications due serious medical conditions including hepatocellular carcinoma (liver cancer), gastroesophageal variceal bleedings etc., hence it's recommended that you visit a physician immediately after noticing any symptom suggesting presence/progression/complications related to this condition for proper diagnosis & treatment plan; otherwise an untimely death may ensue!